Fire-escape and scaffold-holder.



N0. 635,038. Patented 0st. l7, I899. C. E. ELY.

FIRE ESCAPE AND SGAFFOLD HOLDER.

(Application filed Apr. 17,,1399.)

(No Model.)

WiZnessea: jn enifiiwzwmw NlTED Snares ATEENT lEFllQE.

CHARLES E. ELY, OF PEEBLES, OHIO.

FIRE-ESCAPE AND SCAFFOLD HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,038, dated October17, 1899.

Application filed April 1'7, 1899. Serial No. 713,480. (No model.)

To all whom (It may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. ELY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Peebles, in the county of Adams and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Eire-Escape and Scaffold-Holder, but which,when made larger and stronger, can be successfully used inbridge-building for raising and lowering heavy timbers and irons, andthe fire-escape can be used with safety in descending from a balloon, ofwhich the followingis a specification.

The object is with ease and safety to accomplish the purposes abovementioned. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which the figures represent the separateviewsand the let ters refer to the separate parts.

Figure l is a perspective view of the entire machine. Fig. 2 is theshaft or axle. Fig. 3 is an end View of the frame in which the shaft oraxle turns and upon which the wheels are stationed. Fig. 4. is an endview of the wheels, showing the position of the cog-wheels in gear andthe hand or brake wheel I.

The frame A is to be made of any of the following materials: malleableiron, brass, steel, or aluminium, and may be either fiat, round,half-round, hollow tubing, or ribbed. This frame is to be almost round,except on one side, which is to be a straight face, upon which thewheels are mounted, and may be made any size suitable for the purposefor which it is used.

B is the solid cog-wheel, which contains a square hole in the center,which fits upon a square on the end of the shaft E, where it is riveted.This wheel is to be the same size as the cog-wheel in the center of thehand-wheel and enough larger than the axle to give the requiredstrength.

O is the nut, which fits upon the thread D on the left-hand end of theshaft. This is to prevent the shaftand cog-Wheel from getting out ofplace. This cog-Wheel B works between the hand-wheel and the end offrame A.

E is the shaft, which is to be made of steel or iron and is to be roundand smooth, except the ends, and will contain three holes .F, in whichto tie the rope or-wire and in which to rivet the flanges near the ends.G and H are the flanges, which fit upon the shaft at the ends inside ofthe frame. They have a small bearing or rim on the outside of the flangeWhere they would touch the frame, and they will be kept in place byrivet through the rim of the flange and through the shaft. These flangesare to prevent the rope from cutting on the frame and to keep the ropein position. They are placed upon the shaft as it is being set in theframe.

1 is the hand-wheel, carrying integral therewith cog-wheel J and can beof any size proportionate tothe frame. The surface of the wheel is to besmooth, so as not to hurt the hand in regulating the speed while beingused as a fire-escape, (Sac.

J is formed as a cog-rim orsolid wheel molded upon the spokes of thehand-wheel I and is to be the same size as the cog-wheel B. These wheelsprevent the slipping and the instantaneous fall when the brake isslackened to descend.

K is a flat iron stay bent or cast so as to bolt upon frame A at pointsL M N.

O and P are the chain and pin. The chain 0 is attached to frame at thebolt L. The pin Pis to be used for a stationary lock for scaffolds andto lock with while the machine is being drawn up for further use after adescent has been made. This pin passes through a hole in the stay K at Qand through the hand-wheel I on into a hole in frame A at Q.

Several persons can escape from a fire by the use of one machine, aswhen drawn up a hitch of rope may be taken around the anchor-hook closeto the machine to save wind ing up. I

S represents the circumferential brake, which is to be half-round andhollow except at the handhold. This brake fits upon the circumference ofthe rim of the Wheel I. i It is attached to stay K and frame A at pointsR. It is used by gripping the handle T of the brake and the arm Utogether.

U, the stay-arm, is bolted upon frame A at points V. This arm can beremoved with the brake when the machine is being used for other purposesthan that of a fire-escape.

W is the hook with which to fasten the fire-escape rope to thewindow-frame or any other anchorage.

X is the rope or cable, of a size ally to theuse.

Y, the hoop-rope, is used by the operator of the machine or for thesupport of scaffolding proportion and is attached to frame A at pointsZ, &c. This rope can also be used While lowering timbers or irons toattach the machine to the trestle or bridge, letting the timbers orirons down upon the hook end W.

By handling the wheel I you can move immense weights.

This machine is wound up by running the hand-Wheel I-the reverse of theWay you want it to unwind when running down.

This fire-escape and scaffold-holder is to be finished in any Waydesirable.

Very slight changes, which are considered mechanical, shall come withinthe sphere of my claim.

I claim- In a fire-escape and scaffold-holder the con1- bination of anearly-rectangular frame having an opening in the top, and one flat endprovided with a seat for a locking-pin, a stay having an openingregistering with the seat in the frame, a shaft, a flange mounted uponthe shaft near each end, a cog-Wheel mounted upon one end of the shaft,a cable wound upon the shaft, a hook upon the end of the cable, a slingfastened to the bottom of the frame a circumferential brake, an arm Ufixed upon the frame, a hand-wheel, and a cog-wheel integral with thehandwheel, substantially as shown and described.

CHARLES E. ELY. lVitnesses:

W. L. DnvrssoN, A. B. ELY.

